


Bombshells

by Winters Night Diary (ares_night)



Category: Actor RPF, American Actor RPF, Sebastian Stan - Fandom
Genre: Angst, F/M, Friendship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-29
Updated: 2017-01-29
Packaged: 2018-09-20 09:11:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9484490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ares_night/pseuds/Winters%20Night%20Diary
Summary: Tatiana, stylist and part-owner of Bombshells, a themed men's salon in New York City, is thrown off-guard when an old friend and former regular client decides to pop back in for a service.





	

  
  


Tying the black apron around my waist, I blew the bangs off my face with a huff. _Salon still doesn’t open for another 2 hours. Ugh._ Grabbing my Starbucks off the counter, I took a long, satisfying swig. It was way too early for this shit. But, we were down three girls during the crazy weekend rush and business had to go on regardless, especially for the owner, AKA, me. One of five owners to be exact, and as any proper entrepreneur would say that equals no days off and no rest for the weary.

I lugged all of the boxes of new inventory to the front and finished stocking the shelves just in time for my phone to ping with an incoming message.

_(( CD: pleeeeeeeeeease tell me you are working today ))_

I rolled my eyes at the text. The question was completely random and out of the blue, but not surprising at all, coming from this particular person. I began to type a long irritated message to the tune of, ‘Fuck off! Do you have a tracking chip implanted on me or something?’ before forgoing that rash idea and deciding on something more vague and brief.

_(( Sort of. Not open yet. Putting away inventory ))_

Before I could elaborate, I received a response.

_(( CD: YES! Be there in 20 ))_

Growling, I muttered to myself, “Son of a bitch.” Once he made a decision, there was no arguing it. _Might as well get ready for the insufferable pain in the ass._ He had some nerve texting me out of nowhere like that, considering how we’d left things. But again, couldn't say I was that surprised. _Fucker._

Gathering up the rest of the supplies, I shoved the boxes along the walls behind the front counter. _Guess I’ll have one of the girls unpack these in the stockroom for me later when they get in._ I raced to the back room to change into my uniform.

The idea for this business venture revealed itself while we were still in our last year at NYU. A group of five friends, tremendously inebriated at the time, were rambling aimlessly about their plans for the future and what their dreams were post-graduation. It was when I had admitted, half-jokingly, about wanting to throw my shitty foreign language degree out the window and just cut hot men’s hair for a living that my friend Sasha chimed in with, “Or you can use your Business Admin Minor to open a salon.”

It was that simple comment that opened the floodgates of drug and alcohol fueled ideas to start flowing from the group. Shouts of, “Ohhhhh, it should be a themed salon!”

“We should do something that caters to men!”

“Maybe something with a sexy theme! Sex sells, especially for men.”

“OH! A Hooters for haircuts!”

The ideas were shouted around in a giant circle of words until we had all concluded that opening up a salon called “Bombshells” was the greatest idea, ever. The employees would all have cute, military themed, skimpy uniforms, and cater to men all over NYC. We’d also make sure to employ some male stylists, as well. We had the best business plan in the world! Well, best plan until we all graduated and forgot about that faithful conversation on a typical, young and wild weekend.

It was a few years later that my friend Maya called out of the blue, and asked if I remembered that crazy idea we’d had all those years ago. After a lengthy discussion and agreeing to reach out to our old friends, we had all hands on deck and Maya’s dad’s money to help invest in the place. It was a lot of strenuous effort, elbow grease and collaboration from everyone to make it happen, but we did and never looked back. I was so glad Maya called me all of those years ago, because even though the salon was hard work, it was my ultimate dream and it was worth it.

I put on the barely-there, olive-green, army uniform. I knew he preferred this particular outfit most, which of course I teased him about in context. Just as I put the finishing touches on my make-up and smoothed my hair under the triangle cap I had bobby-pinned askew on the top of my head, the buzzer rang.

_Crap. He’s here already._ I started to hurry toward the door, but stopped mid-way to take a deep breath and calm myself. It had been so long since I had seen or even spoken to him, and the nerves were overwhelming me. _The bastard._

Catching his dazzling smile and mischievous eyes peering underneath his baseball cap, I opened the glass door with a flourish.

“Come inside, you big dweeb!” I taunted while grabbing his arm and dragging him in. He let me pull him inside before snatching his arm back, laughing as I pushed and locked the door.

“So, that’s the greeting I get after all this time?” He mocked a pout garnished with an impish gleam in his eyes.

I huffed past him in irritation. “What were you expecting? An opened-mouthed frencher?”

“Mm. Maybe.” I heard him say from behind me, teasingly.

I grunted absently in response and busied myself by getting the station ready. “Aw, come on, Tati.” He said as he grabbed my arm and turned me around. “Don’t I at least get a hug?” Before I could react, he gathered me in his strong arms and squeezed tightly.

Frozen in shock, I stood near catatonic from surprise. I felt his head come around and he uttered lowly in my ear, “God, I’ve missed you so much. You look and smell incredible.” He took a deep breath, pressing his nose into my neck.

As he began to step-in closer, I finally came to my senses and pushed him firmly away. “You know what, Seb? That’s fucking bullshit and you know it.” My blood began to boil; I felt the hot rage starting to simmer inside. “I am really not in the mood today. So, why don’t you come with me to the sink and let’s get this over with.”

A look of complete disbelief took over Sebastian’s face, his mouth gaping open and his eyes wide with alarm. He just stared at me, like an insane looking bug-eyed statue. If I weren’t so filled with fury, I would actually find it quite comical. Unfortunately for him, I was teaming with ire.

Of course he would act completely innocent, like he did nothing wrong. Of course he would. If I was angry before, I was even more pissed off now. What was it with men and their selective memory? He had to know why I was so upset. I was absolutely sick of Sebastian Stan coming in and out of my life whenever he damned well pleased. Well, not entirely true. I would be happy with him coming into it, if it didn’t mean a swift and unpredictable exit immediately afterward.

After our blank-stare standoff, Seb was the first to move. He shook his head slightly and his face twisted into a look of contrite. I knew what was coming, and I had absolutely no desire to hear it. Turning around to walk toward the sinks, I felt a swift hand reach out to grab and stop me. “Tatiana, I’m really…”

I held up my hand. “Seb, no.” I tore my other hand out of his and stepped back. “Look. It is what it is. Let’s not get into this now. Just… follow me to the sinks and let’s get on with your cut,” I said firmly.

He looked down at the ground and fidgeted a bit. I immediately began to feel bad. _Ugh! Why do I let him affect me like this?_ I couldn’t bear seeing him upset and I hated that he had this pull over me. I sighed dramatically. “I’m not trying to start an argument right now. You came here for a service, so let’s get it going. I don’t want us to have tension the whole time. It’s fine. Let’s just forget about it.” I grabbed his hand and he finally looked up and smiled at me.

“But, Tati, you’re right. I was an asshole and I should’ve never…”

I interrupted him again. “Stop. Let’s go have a wash.” I pulled his arm and began walking to the back with him trailing after. He trudged behind me and then plopped himself on the sink chair. He looked up at me from underneath his cap. “Now, are you going to take that thing off and let me survey the damage or what?” I quipped with my hand on my hip.

Sebastian gave a bashful smile before removing his hat and running his hand through, further disheveling his matted down hair. “Yeah, it’s been awhile.” He sighed while giving a self-deprecating look.

I ran my hands through his soft, silken strands and replied, “You ain’t kidding.” His hair was like heaven, shiny, smooth and emulated spun silk, not to mention one of the many attractive qualities about him. _Stop it, Tati. You know there’s no place for those thoughts now._ “So, what shall we do?” I asked while fingering his overgrown mane.

“Well, um. Nothing too crazy, I guess. Just… maybe a little bit of a cleanup and trim,” Sebastian responded tentatively.

Nodding a bit in response, I walked back over to the sink feeling Seb’s eyes trail behind me. “So, how’ve you been?” I attempted idle chatter not really anticipating the unwanted topic I was inadvertently opening up.

“You’re really not gonna let me apologize to you?” He turned his head to look at me, while I mostly pretended to search the cabinets for a towel and hair products.

“Apologize for what?” I said, distractedly.

“Aw, maaan. You really are upset with me, aren’t you? I really fucked up.” He cursed under his breath. “I know I did. But, Tati, I promise you, it’s not that I did it on purpose…”

Scoffing loudly, I slammed the shampoo and conditioner down on the counter. “You didn’t do ANYTHING, Seb! That’s the point.” I wrapped the towel around his neck and turned the water on to test the temperature.

“I know… and I-,” he began but was quickly cut off.

Leveling the sink faucet head and pointing it at his face, I began raging, “So help me, Sebastian if you try to half-ass apologize to me right now...”

“It’s not a half-ass apology!” He spun around and looked at me incredulously. Running his fingers nervously through his hair, he attempted to say more calmly, “If you could just-.”

“Listen. I really REALLY don’t want to do this right now, OK? I honestly and truly don’t.” I sighed in exasperation. Giving him the best pleading look I could muster, I said, “Please. Please, just let it go. I’m trying to. Let’s just say whatever happened… happened. And whatever didn’t… well, it just didn’t.” I shrugged trying to appear nonchalant, albeit reeling inside.

The face peering back at me was completely ashamed and I was having a hard time holding it together. _Stop feeling sorry for HIM, you idiot. Hold your fucking ground for once!_ “Plus, you have a girlfriend now, so… how’s that going?” I blurted out menacingly.

“Tatiana-,” he whined, but the warning glare I gave him made him pause.

Nodding slowly in resigned acceptance, he responded. “Good. It’s going good, great… actually.” Wringing his hands and running his hand through his hair again, he turned around and stared at the floor. “We just came back from a trip.” He mumbled.

Before that could lead to a conversation I had entirely no interest in having, I quickly deflected. “Super. So do you want just a quick trim then? Shorter on the sides and longer on the top? The usual?” I inquired with a forced peppiness.

Sebastian let out a huge sigh and shook his head a bit. “Yeah. That would be perfect. Thanks,” he continued with his head down.

I went to stand in-between his outstretched legs and he slowly raised his head to scan me from bottom to top before biting his lip and leaning back in his chair. Gently, I nudged his shoulders and put my finger under his chin to tilt his head backwards into the sink. He gazed up at me while I leaned further to reach the faucet handle in the back. I applied the water down over his hair, getting it thoroughly wet.

Walking around to the side of his chair near the sink, I lathered up my hands with shampoo. “So, Mr. Hollywood, what’chu been up to?” I asked, attempting to start a benign conversation.

A slight smirk formed at the corner of his mouth before replying, “You know. This and that.”

Placing my soap-covered hands on his hair, I transferred the cleanser with my fingers, slowly massaging his scalp. “Oh, the old this, that and the other, eh?” I grinned as I continued my ministrations.

“Mm. Yeah,” was the only thing Seb said as his eyes closed. He wore a blissful look on his face as I massaged his head with my fingers. My hands moved slow and methodical, rubbing downward and into his scalp. Sebastian sighed and groaned whenever I hit a particular sweet spot. “Oh my god. You really haven’t lost your touch,” he groaned.

I smiled a little at the admission. Seb always did enjoy my shampoo sessions. It’s one of first compliments I ever received in the salon when we opened, and ironically Sebastian was my very first client. He happened upon my chair by pure chance. I wasn’t scheduled to work as a stylist, but we were very busy and with the growing line, I decided to step in and help out.

He became quite the regular customer after that. Of course, he wasn’t that well-known back then and could practically just walk-in during regular salon hours. I remember being so smitten over Sebastian, the adorable man with the sexy smile. _Some things never change._

The wistful look I was sporting transformed to quiet shock when I felt fabric rubbing up against the side of my leg. Looking down, I noticed Seb’s leg passing over mine, whether purposefully or not, I didn’t know. But the suddenness of it all had caused me to pause my ministrations just long enough for Seb to notice. He opened his eyes curiously and stopped the movement in his leg. Realization suddenly dawning, his face transformed into a look of panic as his hand went to rub the spot his limb was previously touching. It was a reflexive reaction and I’m sure not purposefully done, but when Seb’s bare hand touched the skin on my thigh, I felt a thrill of excitement run through me. I haven’t felt those rough hands in so long, and they felt entirely too good.

Once he recognized what he did yet again, he quickly brought his hand away and began stammering. “Oh my god. Tati, I’m so sorry. I thought that was the side of the chair! I was practically half asleep the whole time. I-I… had no idea what I was doing.” He squeezed his eyes shut in embarrassment.

I shook my head a bit to gather my senses and began to giggle at the ridiculousness of it all. “Oh come on, you big baby. It’s fine.” I admonished. “It’s not like we haven’t-,” I stopped myself before I could even utter the rest out loud.

Yes, Sebastian and I slept together. We shared a drunken night of passion after months of sexual tension. Yes, it was wonderful and lived up to every fantasy I’d ever had about him. It was all more than amazing. Except the part where he pretty much disappeared off the face of the earth the next day, and I never saw or heard from him again, that is… until today.

“Yeah. Well…” I trailed off as I turned the water back on. “Let’s get you all rinsed off so we can cut this rug of yours and get you out of here.” I bantered, hurriedly changing the subject. _Can’t believe you were actually going to go there, Tati. What the fuck?_

Seb squinted and stared at me with one eye open. “Aw, really? I was really enjoying that,” he sulked.

I laughed and continued to rinse his hair. “Well, mister. It’s going to be opening time soon. And I’m just trying to get you out of here before you are stuck in a massive hug line, taking endless selfies.” Seb grinned and gave a shrug in resigned agreement.

After drying his hair a bit with a towel, I gestured for him to follow me to my station. I twirled around quickly once I reached the chair making my skirt flare, and caught Seb staring down at my bare legs. Realizing he was just caught in the act, he coughed and cleared his throat to cover his embarrassment. “So. Um. How have you been, Tati? The place looks really nice. Did you renovate?” He asked sheepishly, trying very hard to change the subject.

I went over to my drawer and started pulling out the tools I needed for his cut, beaming internally. I knew putting on this outfit was a good choice. “Yeah. The rest of the gang thought it would be a good idea, so I went along with it.” I wrapped the smock around him and tied it. “It actually came out nice, I think.” And just like that, all of the awkward tension fell away and we were transported to ourselves before that drunken night so long ago.

We chitchatted pleasantly, yet superficially, as I finished Seb’s haircut. I took his smock off, handed him the mirror and turned his chair so he could see the back. “Thanks so much, doll. I love it as always.” He said as he touched and ran his fingers through the shorter strands on the back of his head.

He stood up and gave me a giant bear hug, lifting me in the air and leaning back. Seb placed me gently down on the floor still holding on tight. He brought his mouth to my cheek and pressed a lingering kiss to the side of my face. My insides warmed from the platonic yet intimate contact. _God, I miss this so much._ “We should get together sometime soon. I’m in town for a while. For coffee or something, maybe?” Seb mumbled into my hair.

I smiled into his shoulder. As much as that sounded like everything I wanted in that moment, I knew those days were gone. He moved on, he had a girlfriend. We couldn’t go back to being just friends, especially when I could acknowledge the obvious chemistry between us that time had certainly not quelled. His brief company just now alone made my insides thrum with excitement.

“That sounds nice, Sebby,” I muttered as I disentangled myself from his arms.

“But…” he continued for me while giving me a grave look that told me he knew exactly what I was going to say.

I sighed and folded my arms across my chest defensively. “But, you KNOW what. You have a girlfriend now. We haven’t kept in touch. I think it’s best if we leave the past in the past at this point. Don’t you?”

Seb blew a puff of air out of the side of his mouth and smiled a dejected smile while rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah,” he sighed. “Yeah, you know what? You’re probably right,” he said while nodding his head. “You are right, Tati. I’m sorry.”

He turned around to leave, grabbing his hat and shoving it in his back pocket. “Hey listen, I didn’t bring my wallet. Can you send me a bill when you get a chance?”

“Sure, Seb. No problem,” I admonished with a wave of my hand.

Sebastian gave me one final glance as he opened the door to leave. “Thanks for everything, Tati. Maybe I’ll see you around sometime?” He said with a hopeful crooked smile.

My throat began to dry up just then, and I felt my chest squeeze in protest. _I really can’t believe I’m just going to let him leave like this._ I cleared the roughness in my voice before speaking. “Ye-Yeah. Maybe.” I looked down suddenly, emotions beginning to get the best of me.

I heard the door shut as I hurried off to the bathroom, hot tears stinging my cheeks.


End file.
